anyway to check ESN #'s to make sure a phone is not stolen or anything?

[brouhaha]

buying a phone on ebay cause my previous one was stolen. is there any way to check ESN #'s to make sure the phone I'm buying isn't listed as 'stolen' or deactivated?

[Bruinsboy42pj]

I wish I knew how. I bought one off ebay with fake ESNs and couldn't activate it with Verizon.

[dagger007]

Originally posted by brouhaha
buying a phone on ebay cause my previous one was stolen. is there any way to check ESN #'s to make sure the phone I'm buying isn't listed as 'stolen' or deactivated?

You can call verizon with the ESN and they will tell you if the phone is stolen or has other issues. Of course you need to do this before you bid on the phone.

[ecko04]

Always request that ESN before you bid if nto before you bid definitely before you pay for the phone. In all my cases on eBay, i've lucked up and haven't ran into a lost or stolen phone but you should always do this, especially when dealing with sellers who don't really have a feedback rating. Just call in 18009220204 and ask customer service to check it for you to make sure it's valid, working, and not reported stolen. Yet this still doesn't stop them from reporting it stolen right before they ship it to you. Also never go to a Verizon store to activate a phone bought off eBay, either do it online or through customer service because if you go in and it has been reported stolen or loss then they have to write a report and they can refuse to give you back the phone, just a word to the wise. Also dont' buy a v60p unless you have PTT service, just another word to the wise.

[rafki12]

In addition the possibility of the phone being stolen , customer service should confirm a few things.

The esn will let the system confirm compatibility. Some people tried to activate phones from ebay that couldn't be used. They were either too old, or not cdma, (Verizons digital)

Also some phones won't be allowed on the system because they are "hotlined" by Verizon. This happens when a customer is late with their payments. Their account gets frozen along with their phone. Many customers who never settle up end up getting shut down permanently.

No matter what, Vzw won't turn it on even if someone else buys it.